Per Dr. Moeller

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• Introduction to the class
• Review syllabus, tour Oncourse space
• Blog training (if needed; see appropriate links in “Resources” Week of May 11 folder)
• History and fundamentals of IF
• IF competencies

7 Things You Should Know About Blogs

ALA action no. 2 in a series: Intellectual freedom. (1999; revised December 2004; revised August 28, 2007)

• "As explained in "Intellectual Freedom and Censorship Q and A," "Intellectual freedom is the basis for our democratic system. We expect our people to be self-governors. But to do so responsibly, our citizenry must be well-informed. Libraries provide the ideas and information, in a variety of formats, to allow people to inform themselves. The right to vote is not enough — we also must be able to take part in forming public opinion by engaging in open and vigorous debate on controversial matters. As James Madison wrote: "A popular government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy; or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.""
• "The courts have determined that children and young adults, as well as adults, unquestionably possess First Amendment rights, including the right to receive information in the library. A lack of access to information can be harmful to minors. Fortunately, education helps to protect them. As the National Research Council has pointed out metaphorically, "Swimming pools can be dangerous for children. To protect them, one can install locks, put up fences, and deploy pool alarms. All these measures are helpful, but by far the most important thing that one can do for one's children is to teach them to swim" ("Youth, Pornography, and the Internet")."
• "This responsibility [of libraries] lies at the heart of the //Library Bill of Rights//, which serves as the library profession's interpretation of the First Amendment."
• "It is in the library — and in the library alone — that self-directed learning to the limits of one's own abilities and to the limit of what is known, can take place. Libraries allow us to be well informed so we can make the decisions our Constitution says are ours to make. It is the library where intellectual freedom finds its staunchest advocate."
• FOOTNOTE:
  • "ALA is committed to five Key Action Areas as guiding principles for investment of energies and resources: >>> Diversity
  • Diversity is a fundamental value of the Association and its members, and is reflected in its commitment to recruiting people of color and people with disabilities to the profession and to the promotion and development of library collections and services for all people.
  • Education and Continuous Learning
  • The Association provides opportunities for the professional development and education of all library staff members and trustees; it promotes continuous, lifelong learning for all people through library and information services of every type.
  • Equity of Access
  • The Association advocates funding and policies that support libraries as great democratic institutions, serving people of every age, income level, location, ethnicity, or physical ability, and providing the full range of information resources needed to live, learn, govern, and work.
  • Intellectual Freedom
  • Intellectual freedom is a basic right in a democratic society and a core value of the library profession. The American Library Association actively defends the right of library users to read, seek information, and speak freely as guaranteed by the First Amendment.
  • 21st Century Literacy
  • The American Library Association assists and promotes libraries in helping children and adults develop the skills they need-including the ability to read and use computers-understanding that the ability to seek and effectively utilize information resources is essential in a global information society."

• (for library & info science students and for professional librarians)

IFM Notes

• IFM. Intellectual Freedom and Libraries: An Overview, pp. 3-45.
• IFM. Library Bill of Rights: The Policy, p. 49.
• IFM. The Freedom to Read, pp. 203-206.
• IFM. Libraries: An American Value, pp. 224-225.
• IFM. Policy on Confidentiality of Library Records, pp. 255-256.
• IFM. Policy Concerning Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable…, pp. 269-270.

• Per Lisa

• Intellectual Freedom and Censorship Q and A
• http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/basics/ifcensorshipqanda.cfm
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• ALA's List of First Amendment Advocates
• http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/firstamendment/advocates/advocates.cfm
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• ALA List of News Sources
• http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/basics/basicrelatedlinks/newssources.cfm